Kurdistan’s Weekly Brief December 6

Turkey

On December 6, 2016, Amnesty International released a report about Turkey’s military campaigns in the historical Kurdish town of Sur. “suppression of opposition Kurdish voices by the Turkish government intensifies.” The report also said, ”Tens of thousands of residents of the UNESCO world heritage site of Sur are among an estimated half a million people forced out of their homes as a result of a brutal crackdown by Turkish authorities over the past year which may amount to collective punishment.”

The imprisoned Co-chair of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) sent a letter to the members of his party. In the letter, Selahattin Demirtas accused the ruling party of following sectarian and nationalist policies. He said” Sectarian political axis has been the main determinant of foreign policy, and Turkey is faced with a collapse in the diplomatic arena. The most critical mistake in such a critical period is forming strategies based on sectarian and nationalist policies. Unfortunately, this is what the AKP[Party of Justice and Development] is doing now.” Demirtas expressed his support for Cumhuriyet newspaper administrators, free press journalists, and imprisoned journalists. He said, “Freedom will prevail.”

The Turkish government continues to dismiss and sack Kurdish officials from their positions. The latest purge came out from Van city municipality where more than 300 employees and workers were given dismiss notice by Van Governor Ibrahim Taahyapan who was recently assigned as a trustee to Van Metropolitan Municipality. In Diyarbakir (Amed) two more mayors of Kayaoinar municipality and Yenishir were also detained.

Syria

More than 7000 Internally Displaced People (IDP) have arrived at Afrin region escaping the clashes between the Syrian regime forces and Islamists groups from Aleppo and surrounding areas. An official from the Kurdish local security forces (Asayesh) called upon the international aid organization to help the IDP with medicine and food while they suffer from cold weathers. Clashes continue as Russia and China have vetoed on Monday against the draft resolution in the Security Council of the United Nations calling for a truce period of seven days in Aleppo.

Extremist groups within the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) bombarded Sheikh Maqsoud district by mortars. The attacks resulted in the death of five civilians. Since August of 2015, SNC factions started bombarding the Kurdish district by “hell canons” and chemical weapons. Currently, Sheikh Maqsoud is hosting thousands of fleeing IDP from eastern Aleppo.

Iraq

During an ambush by the Asayesh forces (Public Security) and counter-terrorism group (CTG), one ISIS terrorist was killed, and two more blew themselves up in Darbandekhan district southeast of Sulaymaniyah province in Kurdistan. The security forces had information before the ambush about the ISIS sleeper cell in the area.

Teachers continue to strike in Sulaymaniyah province for unpaid salaries by the KRG. The general directorate resigned after pressure from the protestor Since October teachers in the city and districts have boycotted the classes demanding the KRG for their payments.

Iran

In an interview with BBC Persian President of the Kurdistan regions of Iraq, Massoud Barzani called the Iranian regime and other armed groups to reach a peaceful He rejected Iran’s remarks about Kurdistan region’s support for armed Kurdish.